title: ECG wave form, short term heart rate variability and plasma catecholamine concentrations in intrauterine growth-retarded guinea-pig fetuses.
abstract: Electrocardiogram waveform, short term heart rate variability and catecholamine concentrations were studied with maternally-induced anesthesia in eleven growth-retarded guinea-pig fetuses and their normal-sized littermates at 63 days of gestation. Intrauterine growth retardation was induced by unilateral uterine artery ligation performed between day 32 and 35. In the growth-retarded group fetal weight was reduced by 45%. Blood gases, acid-base status and oxygen content were similar in the two groups. The growth-retarded guinea-pig fetuses were hypoglycemic and demonstrated a rise in hemoglobin concentration. The T/QRS ratio (T wave amplitude/QRS amplitude) was similar in both groups. The short-term heart rate variability was significantly reduced in the growth-retarded group. Plasma catecholamine concentrations were increased in growth-retarded fetuses but differed only significantly for noradrenaline compared to controls. We suggest that similar T/QRS ratio in both groups of fetuses indicates that aerobic myocardial metabolism is maintained among growth-retarded fetuses. The mechanism behind the reduced variability is unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Widmark
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindecrantz
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Rosén
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002395:Catecholamines; D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine